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Valley Elves
This page may be a Stub or not include some information. For a full article on the topic with citations, please see ' ' at Greyhawkonline.com. Valley elves appear much like the grey elves, save that they are even taller, often 5'6 but sometimes reaching even 6ftGreyhawk: Adventure Begins, Roger E. Moore, 1998, 2e, ISBN 0-7869-1249-9. Some have ice blue eyes as well as the usual shades grey elves have. Their hair is pale yellow in the summer, darkening to a rich gold in the winter months.They dress in blues and greens, usually in garments that are loose and flowingMonstrous Compendium Greyhawk Adventures Appendix (1990), 2e. While many sages suggest that Valley Elves are an offshoot of Grey ElvesComplete Book of Elves, Colin McComb, 1992, 2e, ISBN 1-56076-376-0, some sources suggest their history and race actually goes back 150,000 years, being one of the first demihuman races to settle in the Vale for which they are namedModule: Vale of the Mage (WG12), Jean Rabe, 1990, 2e. The Valley elves serve the Mage of the Valley (The Exalted One, as he's known to residents of the Vale), even raiding near by human lands on his behest. Other elves are contemptuous of valley elves. Neither side will say why, precisely, but other elves seem to consider valley elves to be slaves to humans, shown by their use of derogatory terms for them. It's thought that the other races of elves are watching closely, in case the Exalted One or his Drow second in command corrupts the Valley elves; and rather than see another of their kin fall to evil, the other elves may launch a crusade . Other rumours spread about Valley elves is that they sold their servitude to a human for planar knowledge, and are growing dangerously inbred and eccentric. It is also curious that Valley elves only show antipathy towards Drow, instead of the hatred that other elves show themUnearthed arcana, Gary Gygax, 1985, 1e. They also tolerate Snow elves, which most other elves shun. Their grasp of the gnomish language comes from them sharing the Valley with many gnomes, of whom the Valley elves tolerate. They also speak a dialect of olven particular to themselves. Valley elves often have Cooshee accompany themMonster Manual 2, Gary Gygax, 1983, 1e and are skilled horsemen although they prefer to fight unmounted. Habitat and Culture In 582-585 CY only about 4000 Valley elves live in the Vale, alongside some 1,200 gnomes and 800 humans, not including the Mage of the Vale. By 591 CY their number had reduced to 2500, while the human population had boomed into 3,700 and the gnomes had increased slightly to 1800Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, Erik Mona, Sean K. Reynolds, Gary Holian, Frederick Weining, 2000, 3e. This decrease in population likely came about when the giants that were attacking Sterich and Geoff pushed across and attacked the Vale- supposedly even the Exalted one died in this attack, although some claim that to be only rumours. They work alongside the gnomes, and tolerate the humans at the Exalted One's insistence, although often the gnomes' mischievous behaviour wares on the elves' patience. The Jungle people, the humans the elves share the valley with, are given more leeway than other humans as the elves see them as better than most humans, due to their reverence for nature. They live inside the tropical climate of the Vale, which is humid and bountiful in fruits such as bananas and Idani. Idani wood is also the elves favoured the wood for making bows and arrows. It's also full of many types of predators and monsters, many of which seem to have fled to the Vale after being pushed out of local lands or been deliberately introduced by the Exalted One. This resulted in the residents being ever vigilant, both to intruders and predators. This lifestyle means the elves of the Vale often work as guards and militia for the Exalted One, and any young elf who shows no skill with magic is drafted into physical training, meaning almost all elves in the valley have at least one class level. Those that do show aptitude with magic are expected to excel and are considered superior to those with no magical skill. Although ruled by the Exalted One (and in turn his Drow First Protector), he allows the residence of the Vale to form their own systems of governing and elect their own leaders. The valley elves are divided among three principal communities(582-585 CY- Vinestrong: Pop. 800, Moonhollow: Pop. 800, and Darkglade: Pop. 1,200) and four unnamed small villages, with a few dozen living scattered near the valley’s entrance. During 580's they elected Summerstorm Nightwind, unusual in his youth (400 years) and that he's the first leader of the valley elves in 3,000 years who was not a warrior. Valley elves do not believe in secrets among the community, and criminals and strangers are questioned openly before the closest elven community. This sense of community is also connected to wealth; magic items are communal and the elves feel no need to hide their valuables from each other. Despite this sense of community and intense training, many Valley elves struggle keeping or making group tactics during a fight, preferring to depend on themselves and hope their neighbour does the same. Valley elves worship Ehlonna and tend to focus on nature and animal domains. The Seldarine have rejected Valley elves, although the reason is not clear why. Other elves, including drow, mention the rumour about Valley elves having sold themselves into servitude for planar knowledge, but it may also be connected to the fact Valley elves don't observe Faerie Mysteries and how an ancient valley elf king pretended to be a divine ruler.(p. 127) When this king ruled, back when the Valley of the Mage was still just the Javan Vale, the valley elves had good relations with Geoff, Bissel and Ket. One of the great mysteries of the past was when this King visted the Duke of Geoff with all of his royal household, stayed the night, then left the next dawn, heading into the Crystal Mist Mountains. The Duke was left with treasure and a message only his heirs have ever seen.(p. 127) Another mystery connected to the Valley elves is the theft of the Cup and Talisman of Al'Akbar, that was stolen during a religious ceremony in Ekbir by " strange elves who were as tall as men"(p. 43). If these were Valley elves, there motives and result of the theft is unknown. Stats 1e stats= |-|2e stats= |-|3.5 stats= |-|4e stats= |-|5e stats= Category:Races Category:Elves